General Music Chat

As some of you know the band I have played in for 3 years is wanting a hiatus. I am looking for another band to fill the void until MI is ready to get back into it at which time I will play with both. I am finding ads that say No BS or drama serious inquiries only. It turns out none of them are as serious as they thought they were. Typically I ask for a website or youtube videos because IMO if they don't have that they are not pros. I was talking to one band and told them I would like to make $150 min. And preferably $200.00 a night. That is what a top shelf band makes and that is what I am looking for. I know most bands don't make that at first but you should be working toward that. These guys emailed back you will not make that kind of money with us. However we all have 6 figure a year jobs. My thought was Huh? You want to be successful in your day jobs and make 6 figures+ but you can't put a band together that can make $150.00 a man? I hate this part of the music biz. but accept it is part of the game

No mp3's or vids means no audition in my book - Its 2013 .... everyone should have something recorded / posted to check out ...
I had a ad up on CL last week looking for players in my genre ....
This guy emailed me 3 times in a day asking me questions before telling me he never played that genre but could pick it up just like that .... after telling the guy 3x we were looking for a guy to step in and play ....
peps just wanna waste your time ......
I do not play for the money although I feel horrible when I cant pay the band like they would like ... many a time I have paid other members with gas money for services rendered or picked up their share of the studio tab ....
Just wanna play ...
Haley - you are too good to be out work for long good luck

Thanks for the kind words DG! Yes down here there is a lot of opportunity to make good money playing if you are structured and have a good business plan. I don't necessarily play for the money either, but I'll be darned if I'm going to give away all those years of sacrifice! Hopefully I'll find something to get going with after the new year. If not and I find the right people I might just put Cruise Control back together. I really don't want to do everything again. But I'll do what I have to!

Hope it works out for your bro. Actually we could use your services up here. We're running out of options. I think there comes a time when you get so good it's hard to find people who can keep up. And then I agree about the money. There's nobody in town paying $150 per man. Not happening. Makes me want to only go to the studio and put out CD's. My attitude isn't really good right now towards the owners and managers. It's a buyer's market for them. They can afford to treat us like dung because there's a hundred bands lining up behind us ready to play for peanuts. It's what the economy will bear and right now it's bearing nothing.

Hope it works out for your bro. Actually we could use your services up here. We're running out of options. I think there comes a time when you get so good it's hard to find people who can keep up. And then I agree about the money. There's nobody in town paying $150 per man. Not happening. Makes me want to only go to the studio and put out CD's. My attitude isn't really good right now towards the owners and managers. It's a buyer's market for them. They can afford to treat us like dung because there's a hundred bands lining up behind us ready to play for peanuts. It's what the economy will bear and right now it's bearing nothing.

Lots of good players here Bob. I'll never be that good unfortunately so I don't have to worry about finding good players. The issue with me is finding folks that are realistic and want to be a top shelf band. Guys our age are already making a good living at their day job. As a result they don't expect the band to make much money. Two things happen when you have this attitude. 1. It makes it harder for the people that do want to make money because frankly too many bands have that attitude. 2. It frustrates guys like me. I have a good job and I like to make money playing in the better clubs to good crowds and having some class about what I do. Don't get me wrong I have played I my share of dive bands. That is what makes me want to play in the better more in demand situations.

Good luck, Jeff. You've mentioned before the pay you average down there in bands - it's a darn sight better than most other areas of the country! Keep searching, eventually something will click.
Definitely finding a band that has online samples of their music is mandatory at the level you are looking for. Saves time wasted on bands that aren't up to your standards.

I've adjusted my CL ads so that it's apparent I'd really like to walk into a duo/trio act that wants another instrument/voice, rather than another soloist. So much easier (for me) than starting from scratch, even though at this point I've got two other soloists I am going to try things with. Had another email yesterday from a guy, but don't think his vocals are up to my standards and his music style is rougher than I like. yet he's doing some 'big' music thing this coming Saturday where a bunch of local folks are playing in the afternoon and at night some hip-hop DJ and others (singer from the Pussycat Dools, a former playmate, etc) are playing). Haven't had the chance to ask him, but I assume he's not getting paid.

I would like to inquire that if MI was doing so well why the hiatus ?

Not being judgmental Jeff, even though it kind of sounds that way .

Just curious.

As amateur guitarist, I often don't get what makes musicians tick.

I would like to inquire that if MI was doing so well why the hiatus ?

Not being judgmental Jeff, even though it kind of sounds that way .

Just curious.

As amateur guitarist, I often don't get what makes musicians tick.

George, the problem is the leader is traveling a lot with his day job. About 2 times a month and he says he doesn't think it fair to his wife that he goes out of town for work comes home and does a gig on Sat. I enjoy playing with these guys and love them like brothers but dang it I want to play. He also says we have been hitting it hard playing 20 to 25 gigs a year for 3 years now and he needs a break. The reality is these guys have 6 figure jobs too and don't need the money. He even tells me he would be perfectly happy rehearsing and not gigging he doesn't even like gigging. You see the problem is I like to gig. This appears to be the problem with guys my age. They don't have to gig. If you ask Paul McCartney why at 70 years old he still stays on the road 9 months out of the year it becomes obvious that performing and playing music is his passion. I am the same way 20 to 25 gigs a year is nothing to me. Ultimately I want to play a minimum of 36 to 40 gigs a year. Problem is guys my age that want to play at the level and style of music I want don't want to play that often.

Ultimately I want to play a minimum of 36 to 40 gigs a year. Problem is guys my age that want to play at the level and style of music I want don't want to play that often.

wimps!!






How are you on an acoustic guitar, bro? How much travel could you do?

Ultimately I want to play a minimum of 36 to 40 gigs a year. Problem is guys my age that want to play at the level and style of music I want don't want to play that often.

wimps!!






How are you on an acoustic guitar, bro? How much travel could you do?

I guess I sound like I am whimpering and sniveling to you Ted!

Yod's suggestion - how about doing some solo stuff on acoustic? Not sure if there are gigs available in your area for that style.

I see.

sh*t . . . if I had a "six figure" job I'd save up a little money pay all my debt and play full time.

Comes down to desire vs priorities I guess.

i hear ya on the money, jeff. but ya know....life is full of compromise and more often than not we just have to look at the big picture and decide what and how much we're willing compromise and settle for.

i'm not worried about you losing faith and packing it in any time soon....i know you're a music junkie and you do this because you HAVE to. (takes one to know one)

I see.

sh*t . . . if I had a "six figure" job I'd save up a little money pay all my debt and play full time.

Comes down to desire vs priorities I guess.

The truth is that it isn't hard to start a business, set realistic short & long term goals, work at it smartly and eventually you will have a six-figure income. It might take 5 or 10 years, but you'll be working somewhere during that time anyway right? Why not build something you own in that time?

I find that people are either hosses or bosses, and there's nothing you can do to change them from one to the other. It's a matter of their own personal motivation. Often its not as much work to be self-employed as it is to hold a day job, but it is more responsibility and that's where people shy away.

Jeff, if you take the time to make a good plan and then execute it, you'll be ahead of 95% of everyone else in a few short years. If you don't, you'll be in the same place for many long years.

Life is a series of choices. Good ones lead somewhere....

i hear ya on the money, jeff. but ya know....life is full of compromise and more often than not we just have to look at the big picture and decide what and how much we're willing compromise and settle for.

i'm not worried about you losing faith and packing it in any time soon....i know you're a music junkie and you do this because you HAVE to. (takes one to know one)

I have been compromising playing as few times with these guys as I have. For now I'll find something else. When they are ready if it works out right we will play again.